Ventilating ship-timbers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. n

JOS. L. HARLEY AND SAML. MAXWELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

VENTILATING SHIP-TIMBERS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 11,669, dated September 12, 1854.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, J. L. HARLEY and SAML. IMAXWELL, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mode of Construction of Ventilatore for Ships Framing; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

We are aware a recent patent has been granted for an improvement having the same object in view with our invention, but there are insuperable objections to its use and adoption, arising from its liability to have the cap of the tube forming the ventilator bent on one side by the accidental falling thereon of heavy rope or other articles from above; the plan alluded to is further objectionable on account of requiring the stooping of the person and turning by hand of the stem and cap so as to shut or open the ventilator, whereas our caps are not injured by anything falling on them, as the double action spring readily gives way, and the only effect is, the closing the tube; a further advantage we gain in the time and ease with which the cap may be closed simply by the sailor passing along with his foot depressing the cap-which when down is retained in place by the single spring.

The ventilator may be described as follows: A A are the sides of a suitably sized tube; B is a flange by which it may be secured to the plank shear through which the lower portion passes; C C a bridge supporting a ring D D in which slides the stem E carrying the cap F; upon the side of E is a slight recess in which the spring a may be compressed as the half length of the stern E reaches the ring D; b is a small stop to prevent the stem being entirely drawn out of the ring or socket; the dotted line d d shows the cap closed, stern below the ring and the spring expanded below it, thus securing the cap when down as the spring must be contracted to permit itsrising.

There is a further objection to the invention alluded to, viz that of the half turn necessary to keep it open, being accidentally thrown around by a rope dragging against the cap or stein thus throwing it oi the step of the groove, and a consequent dropping of the cap results; and further objection is the absolute necessity of giving the required half turn to the stem to close it securely; all of these objections we have by great simplicity avoided, as the only eiect of a rope touching the cap and stem is to throw it around, the spring maintaining it open or shut with certainty. i

Having described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 4 Constructing a ventilator for shi s frame, consisting of the tube A, cap F, tting thereon, sustained by means of the double action spring a on the stem E, by which the cap is kept open or securely closed when down, in

the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our naines before two subscribing witnesses.

JOS. L. HARLEY. SAML. MAXWELL.

Witnesses:

ROBERT VVIER, J. Gr. RAMSAY. 

